The board of supervisors this week approved an arrangement involving the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, County Probation Department, San Bernardino Police Department, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security establishing a multi-agency Gang Intelligence Team to investigate, disrupt and dismantle criminal street and prison gangs operating throughout the Inland Empire.
The task force was created under a non-financial memorandum of understanding by which the activities and joint programs will be funded by the already existing budget allotments specified for the participating entities.
The agreement formalizes a partnership among the agencies and departments involved to enhance intelligence sharing and enforcement strategies. The team will conduct coordinated investigations targeting violent and organized gang activity across the region.
According to a report authored by Sheriff Shannon Dicus and Tracy Reeece, the chief probation officer in the county probation department presented to the board of supervisors by Carolina Mendoza,, the chief financial manager within the sheriff’s department, “The Inland Empire’s region of San Bernardino County is a major hub for gang activity and drug trafficking, due to its strategic location for transportation, which represents a complex and evolving problem that extends beyond major urban areas into suburban and rural pockets. As a result, the region experiences a high rate of gang-related organized street crime and drug trafficking. The memorandum of understanding formalizes relationships between participating agencies and delineates their responsibilities within the Gang Intelligence Team. The participating agencies include: the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s Department (Sheriff), Probation Department, City of San Bernardino Police Department, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and United States Department of Homeland Security.”
Mendoza noted that “The proposed memorandum of understanding also includes non-standard terms and conditions that differ from the county’s standard contract language as follows:
1. The memorandum of understanding is silent on governing law.
* The County standard contract requires California governing law.
* Potential Impact: Having no specified governing law in the memorandum of understanding results in uncertainty over which laws will govern the interpretation of the memorandum of understanding and leads to ambiguity in the interpretation of the memorandum of understanding terms. The United States Department of Homeland Security is a federal agency with offices located nationwide; City of San Bernardino Police Department is a local city agency, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is a state agency with offices throughout California. The memorandum of understanding could be interpreted under any state law, or under federal law, depending on where the claim is brought, including California.”
In this way, according to Mendoza, “Any questions, issues, or claims arising under this memorandum of understanding could require the County to hire outside counsel competent to advise on the applicable state or federal law, which may result in fees that exceed the total memorandum of understanding amount.”
Moreover, according to Mendoza, “The memorandum of understanding does not require any of the participating agencies to meet the county’s insurance standards, as required pursuant to County Policies 11-05, 11-07, and 11-07 SP.
Further, in her report, Mendoza told the board and the public that “ County policy requires contractors to carry appropriate insurance at limits and under conditions determined by the County’s risk management department and as set forth in county policy and in the county standard contract.”
The potential impact of that, Mendoza said, is that “The County has no assurance that the outside agencies will be financially responsible for claims that may arise under the memorandum of understanding, which could result in expenses to the county that exceed the total memorandum of understanding amount. The memorandum of understanding does not require any of the participating agencies to indemnify the County, as required by County Policies 11-05, 11-07, and 11-07 SP. The County standard contract indemnity provision requires contractors to indemnify, defend, and hold County harmless from third party claims arising out of the acts, errors, or omissions of any person.”
Mendoza said there is therefore a potential that if Gang Intelligence Team operations go awry, the county might accrue some financial liability.
“The participating agencies are not required to defend, indemnify, or hold the county harmless from any claims, including indemnification from claims arising from the participating agencies’ negligent or intentional acts,” Mendoza wrote. “If the county is sued for any claim that may arise under the memorandum of understanding, the county may be financially responsible for the defense of the claim and any resulting judgment/settlement.”
Despite the financial risks, Mendoza recommended that the board of supervisors sign off on having the county and its agencies join in as members of the Gang Intelligence Team.
Gang activity is persistent in Southern California, representing a constant area of focus for law enforcement and community leaders, a reality that has existed for decades. Gang violence is widespread, dangerous, and deadly in virtually all of San Bernardino County’s communities. Gangs cross racial, ethnic, age, socio-economic, and geographic boundaries. Though they are not necessarily gender-specific, the predominant number of gang members are males. They exist in San Bernardino County’s most urbanized settings, but are present in its suburban, and rural communities environments. Gang members in San Bernardino county have been parents, students, employed, and educated.
The impact of gangs on several of San Bernardino County’s communities has been severe, defining the context and culture of whole neighborhoods. Gangs oftern provide a paradoxical sense of security, status, or belonging, especially in neighborhoods with scarce resources. The drug trade, overcrowding, poor infrastructure, and limited access to mental health care create fertile ground for recruitment.
Despite numerous interventions and efforts to address gang violence, the problem remains a significant challenge to community safety and cohesion. The gang problem in Southern California in general is a broad problem that requires a collective response from parents, family members, friends, community members, government, law enforcement agencies and the courts to prevent the devastation caused by gangs and to protect younths who are the primary targets for gang recruitment.
Mendoza wrote in the report, which bore the same date as that of the metting, April 7, 2026, “While the terms and conditions of the memorandum of understanding are exceptions to the county’s standard language, approval by the board of supervisors is necessary for the sheriff’s department and the probation department to participate in the Gang Intelligence Team. County counsel and risk management have reviewed the non-standard language and provided input.”
Mendoza informed the board that approval of the pact as recommended would “authorize the memorandum of understanding for the formation of, and participation of the sheriff’s department and probation department in the Gang Intelligence Team that will conduct in-depth, comprehensive investigations targeting the most violent, disruptive, and influential criminal street and prison gangs in the Inland Empire’s communities, to disrupt and dismantle these criminal organizations through state and federal prosecution and authorize the sheriff and the chief probation officer to execute the memorandum of understanding and non-substantive amendments, including changes to the scope of work, on behalf of the county.”
The board of supervisors unanimously approved entering into the agreement to form the joint anti-agng task force and the sharing of information and cooperation between the various agencies. The supervisors offered a collective statement that “The partnership helps to achieve the Countywide Vision by working collaboratively to ensure that public safety resources are maximized and that the county remains a safe, secure and thriving environment for all residents and businesses.